Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints abstain from tea and coffee, along with other drinks and substances. We refer to this as the “Word of Wisdom.“
The question often comes up, “Why don’t you drink coffee?” This seems to be the one that really hangs people up. Abstain from cocaine? Makes sense. Alcohol? People can see it. COFFEE?!?!?!!?! People are befuddled.
This isn’t an easy question to answer, but I wanted to write my thoughts on it. The REAL reason we don’t drink coffee.
Do we not drink tea and coffee because it makes us healthier? Do we avoid coffee because it’s addictive? Do we avoid coffee for our body’s health?
Maybe.
Is that the primary reason we don’t drink coffee?
NO.
Why do we pay tithing?
Why do we partake of the sacrament on Sunday?
Why do we avoid going to the store or other activities on Sunday?
Why do we do any number of things the world finds peculiar?
It’s because we have made covenants with God to obey His commandments. That’s it. That’s why we do what we do. To be obedient to God.
Maybe it makes us healthier, maybe keeping the sabbath holy renews our spirits, maybe not swearing keeps our minds clean, maybe tithing brings us blessings. But are any of these maybes the real reason we do anything? It shouldn’t be.
We do these things because we love the Lord and have covenanted to follow Him. End of story. The world might call it restrictive, but from my personal experience, it is the EXACT opposite. It is freedom.
No Coincidences 